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Understanding the paradox of control and freedom of consumption under digital capitalism with Stafford Beer's cybernetic theory

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  • Hannah Bensussan

    (CEPN - Centre d'Economie de l'Université Paris Nord - LABEX ICCA - UP13 - Université Paris 13 - Université Sorbonne Nouvelle - Paris 3 - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - UPCité - Université Paris Cité - Université Sorbonne Paris Nord - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Université Sorbonne Paris Nord)

Abstract

Studies on the digitalization of markets and economic relations provide contrasting statements on its impact on consumers: it seems to have enhanced both control and freedom of these actors. This paper proposes to understand this paradox through the lens of Stafford Beer's cybernetic theory. We read the literature on digitalization and consumption at the light of Beer's concepts of regulated variety, regulatory variety and recursion, three concepts at the source of Beer's understanding of control and freedom. These concepts, we argue, allow to show the conditioned rise of consumers' freedom to the purpose of control in capitalist orders, i.e., commodity circulation and capital accumulation.

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  • Hannah Bensussan, 2023. "Understanding the paradox of control and freedom of consumption under digital capitalism with Stafford Beer's cybernetic theory," Working Papers hal-04050331, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-04050331
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-04050331
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    Keywords

    Control; freedom; consumption; digital capitalism;
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